The beginning of Matthew 15 is a very special message! Have you heard of the Hebrew word Korban? It means to "sacrifice" or to "draw near to God." The Pharisees used to use this term for the money gift they would give to the church instead of helping their parents. They would claim that the Korban would have cleansed their hands - and that they were exempt from helping their parents.
When the Pharisees accuse Jesus' disciples in Matthew 15 of not washing their hands before they eat bread, Jesus rebuts (and very effectively!) by exposing their man-made tradition of Korban.
Matthew 15:3-6
And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.' "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God," he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Korban inscription. Many thanks to Bible History Online.
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